robot

Robots are great at doing what they’re told. But sometimes inputting that information into a system is a far more complex process than the task we’re asking them to execute. A team of researchers at Brown University and MIT is working to develop a system in which robots can plan tasks by developing abstract concepts of real-world objects and ideas based on motor skills. Read More

The process of making a Disney park feel alive is most easily encapsulated in animatronic figures. These hydraulic, pneumatic and now electric figures have been a fixture at Disneyland since the 60s. Since then, massive advancements have been made in control systems, movement architecture and programming. The most advanced animatronic figures like the Na’Vi Shaman in Disney… Read More

CamSoda, a adult web-streaming service, has announced VIRP – Virtual Intercourse with Real People – a service that lets you simulate sex with on-screen participants using RealDoll robots.
Yep.
The CamSoda [NSFW LINK] service is partnering with the folks at RealDoll to add teledildonics to already fairly realistic sex dolls. The dolls range in price from $1,500 and up and… Read More

Everyone needs a robotic friend and the Loomo might be the best yet. Part pack mule, part Segway, part voice assistant, the Loomo packs a lot of goods into its self-balancing frame.
The device is from Segway Robotics, which is backed by Intel and Xiaomi. Intel’s RealSense provides sensors to make it safe to use indoors and out and the Segway platform lets it self-balance and travel at up… Read More

The American Automobile Association is doing work to help ensure it remains relevant in a future age of autonomous driving.
Its latest partner in that effort is Torc Robotics, a self-driving technology company with loads of experience in automating heavy machinery and commercial equipment that’s now applying its expertise to the consumer market.
At CES 2018, AAA announced that… Read More

Kuri, the home robot that wants to be more companion and less Roomba, has begun shipping out to customers. Kuri creator Mayfield Robotics, a Bosch-owned startup, revealed that its initial shipments have gone out via FedEx – which means it technically met its goal of beginning to ship the photogenic little friend bots prior to the end of 2017, if only just.
Kuri was originally unveiled… Read More

Is it worse if a robot instead of a human is used to deter the homeless from setting up camp outside places of business?
One such bot cop recently took over the outside of the San Francisco SPCA, an animal advocacy and pet adoption clinic in the city’s Mission district, to deter homeless people from hanging out there — causing some people to get very upset.
Silicon Valley game… Read More

Latest Crunch Report

Robots usually react in real time: something happens, they respond. Now researchers University of California, Berkeley are working on a system that lets robots “imagine the future of their actions” so that they can interact with things they’ve never seen before.
The technology is called visual foresight and it allows “robots to predict what their cameras will see if… Read More

If there’s any sort of trend in robotics this year it’s soft hands. Robots with soft pincers are quite useful in picking up – and not breaking – objects and now you can enjoy a soft-handed robot at home.
The robot is called Gomer and it’s available now on Indiegogo. The little robot had an expressive face and a big claw on top. You can play games with Gomer –… Read More

Wandelbots has accomplished a lot for a startup that was founded officially only two weeks ago – the German company focuses on solving a key problem in robotics, using wearable technology and over two years of experience researching and designing adaptive software systems.
So what does Wandelbots actually do? Its first product is a sensor-laden suit that a person can wear to… Read More

MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory has teamed up with Harvard’s Wyss Institute to create a super strong, affordable artificial muscle that could be used to create soft robots with “superpowers,” including the ability to lift up to 1000 times their weight.
The new soft robotic artificial muscles are inspired by origami, and can be constructed in… Read More

Toyota has a new, third-generation humanoid robot bears the charming name “T-HR3” and is designed to be a helpful and safe assistant to humans. It also features a so-called “master maneuvering systems,” which is essentially a VR-powered remote operating platform that a human can use to have the T-HR3 mirror its movements. Yes, kind of like a jaeger from kaiju movie… Read More

Parkour! That’s what we should all be devoting our combined robotics expertise towards. There’s no nobler human pursuit, so of course we should create a robot that can master the so-called ‘sport of kings.’ And yes, that is the true sport of kings.
Boston Dynamics has shown off its new version of SpotMini, a robot dog that’s slightly less intimating cased in its… Read More

The rumors had it right: Sony is rebooting its robot dog, Aibo, announcing a new four-legged companion AI-powered bot incoming with the same brand name but more rounded corners and visible facial features for extra kawaii, including a pair of expressive, puppy-dog eyes. Read More

Ford has a robotic butt it actually calls ‘Robutt’ (via MIT Technology Review) that it uses to test its car seats, helping to make sure they’re durable enough to withstand numerous backside encounters over their long useful lifetime. It’s not that surprising – car manufacturers use plenty of robots to mimic repeated stresses on car parts to make sure they can last… Read More

Honda has a new bipedal robot, which isn’t perhaps as charismatic as Asimo, but which could be a lot more useful. The robot is a disaster relief model, dubbed E2-DR (very Star Wars) which has flexible, articulating joints, a waterproof design and a 2km/h walking rate. The robot can climb ladders, crawl over debris, work in extreme temperatures and has a range of sensors that let it see… Read More

Amazon reveals its high-end Echo, MIT’s CSAIL developed a robot that can wear different exoskeletons, Ford and Lyft tie the knot and Delta gives people free messaging on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and iMessage on flights. All this on Crunch Report. Read More